How to do foot massage yourself at home & bull; hello healthy

After exercising or doing activities that focus on leg work, it's no wonder your feet feel sore and tired afterward. To overcome this, many people go to reflexology to get rid of the pain. However, some of you may be lazy if you have to go again and want to go home immediately. You don't have to go to a massage, some techniques foot massage this you can try yourself at home!

Benefits of foot massage for health

The proliferation of reflexology sites shows that many people are already benefiting from it. Those of you who have experienced it may also be wondering how your body can be fresher with just a massage on the feet.

Reflexology is a traditional medicine that originated in China. In the world of reflexology, the focus is on treating diseases in other parts of the body by applying pressure to specific areas of the feet.

This is believed because the nerves at a certain point in the foot are connected to other organs. Therapists believe that when there is a problem in the body, it means that energy is blocked. By applying pressure to the right areas, you will improve the flow of energy that helps treat disease.

Indeed, if examined from a medical perspective, the science behind reflexology is still unclear. However, many studies have shown the influence of reflexology in reducing pain such as chronic pain or surgical scar pain. In addition, reflexology it can also reduce anxiety and make a person calmer.

Foot massage itself also has the benefit of reducing fatigue and pain in the feet. Several techniques are used in foot massage obtained from reflexology. You may have heard that pressure at a certain point in the foot can reduce anxiety, because there are certain points that, if pressed, can activate the nervous system which in turn encourages the brain to produce good hormones such as endorphins.

It doesn't stop there, foot massage can also increase circulation in the body which will help cure a disease. Of these benefits, foot massage often used for the treatment of diseases caused by problems with nerves or poor blood circulation.

How to massage your own feet at home

Source: Women's World

The good news is, you don't have to spend money and go to a place of reflection. You can also do these massages yourself at home to reduce soreness. Here are the steps.

1. To overcome sore feet

This massage will focus on your leg area as a whole. This massage is done to relax tense leg muscles after exercising, standing too long, or wearing high heels. To try it, do the steps below:

1. Perform massage in a sitting position, either on the floor or on a chair.
2. Bend one leg and place it on the thigh of the other leg. If you started with your right leg, rest your right foot on top of your left thigh.
3. Apply essential oil or lotion on the soles of the feet.
4. Hold the front of the ankle with one hand, then massage the back of the ankle and around it towards the heel with the thumb and forefinger.
5. Massage the bottom of the heel with your thumb in small circles. Perform massage along the leg to the base of each finger.
6. Press the bottoms of your feet with your knuckles. It could also be with the thumb, starting to press from the heel to the bottom of the toes.
7. Finish by gently rolling the toes one by one and the rest of the foot. Repeat this step on the other leg.

Apart from using your hands, you can also do this massage using the help of a small ball such as a tennis ball or golf ball. With the help of these objects, you can adjust the intensity of the pressure to be lighter or tighter for easier.

To do this, you can simply roll the ball using the soles of your feet until you find sensitive areas. Press the ball harder on the area you want to massage, hold it for five seconds.

2. For spinal pain

Source: Modern Reflexology

A study shows that people who have back pain experience less pain after doing reflexology. If you want to feel its properties, follow these steps:

1. Apply essential oil or lotion on the soles of your feet.
2. Perform massage on the arch area of ​​the foot under the thumb to the top of the heel.
3. Press the area with the thumb alternately from the heel towards the toes. You can also add more gentle strokes or use your two thumbs to increase the pressure.
4. Massage the sore area in circular motions. Repeat steps on the other leg.

3. To overcome anxiety

Source: Ootlah.com

As is well known, doing massage on the feet can also be useful for reducing anxiety. Here are the steps:

1. Bend your toes inward, you will see a crease in the area between under the big toe and forefinger.
2. Press the area underneath with the thumb of your hand, massage in a circular motion. You can also press your thumb down a little.

You can also apply pressure to the tops of your feet. This area is about two fingers below the junction of the thumb and forefinger. Applying pressure to this area can also help with insomnia and menstrual cramps.

1. Find the area by placing your finger between the thumb and forefinger.
2. Apply pressure to the area using your thumb.
3. Massage for four to five seconds.

Keep that in mind foot massage above is not intended to cure certain diseases. Talk to your doctor again if you have a condition such as diabetes or gout, usually doing massage with a licensed therapist will be more recommended. Massage also should not be done when the leg is injured or swollen.